Sponge-cup.



Patented Jan. 23, I900. H. G. KENNEDY.

S P [IN G E C U P.

(Application filed Mar. 18, 1899.]

2 Sheets-Sheet I,

No Model.)

F/GZ.

FIG. 4".

m: Noam: PETERS co. Pnmuuwa, WASHINGTON. n. c

No. 64l,867. Patented Jan. 23, I900.

H. G. KENNEDY.

SPONGE CUP.

(Appli ation flked Mar. 18, 1899.; (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '2.

m: nomgls werzns no. PHOITO-LITHO WASHINGTON u NITED. STATES PATENT HARRY COBB KENNEDY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO JULIUS E. KENNEDY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SPONGE-CUP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 641,867, dated January 23, 1900.

Application filed March 13, 1899. $e1ial No- 709,580- (No model.)

To all whom it may-concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY OoBB KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, residing atPhila delphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sponge- Oups; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a novel construction in a fountain sponge-cup, the object being to provide a device of this kind that is inexpensive, of compact form, that can be readily filled and easily cleaned, and that will hold a sulficient supply of water to keep the sponge moist for some time.

The invention consists in the features ofconstruction hereinafter fully described and specifically claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating my invention, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of a sponge-cup constructed in accordance with my invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are modified forms of construction embodying my invention. Fig. 4 is a sectional elevation through my sponge-cup provided with a packing between the two members. Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the cup illustrated in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the modified form of the cup illustrated in Fig. 3.

Referring now to said drawings, A and B indicate the two members of my sponge-cup. The member A is the cup or receptacle for holding the member B, which I term the reservoir. Itis manifest that the said members can be made of various shapes, which of course is not part of the invention; but in the drawings, Figs. 1 and 2, they are shown as circular. The cup A is plain and preferably has straight bottom and sides. The reservoir B fits within the cup A and has a chamber 1, that is open at its lower end and closed at its upper end. The said chamber 1 partakes of the shape of the member B, so that in Figs. 1 and 2 said chamber is annular, be ing formed by two concentric walls 2 and 3, joined at'their top edges. In this waya passage or open compartment 4 is made by the wall 2, which serves as a sponge-compartment. When the two members are placed together with the open end of the chamber 1 down, the lower edge of the wall 3 of course rests on the bottom of the cup A, and in accordance with the principle involved by my invention the chamber 1 communicates with the compartment 4, and in Fig. 1 one way is shown to establish such communication namely, by making the lower end of the wall 2 shorter than the lower end of wall 3. In this way when the two members are' placed together, as shown, the lower end of wall 3 rests on the bottom of the cup, so that the lower end of wall 2 does not reach it, thus establishing a passage 5 for communication between the chamber and compartment underneath the wall 2. The size of said passage depends on the supply of water to be kept in the compartment and canbe varied as desired. In Fig. 2, however, is shown another way in which communication between the chamber and compartment is established, which consists in making perforations 6 through the lower end of wall 2, as shown.

' The sponge-cup is made ready for use in the following manner: The members are separated, and the reservoir B is inverted and then filled with Water. The cup A is also inverted and placed upon reservoir B. The two members are then held firmly together and turned over to the position shown in the drawings, whereupon a small supply of water will enter the compartment 4 from the water-chamber 1 in an obvious manner. It will thus be seen that a sponge placed in the compartment 4 will absorb the Water in the bottom thereof, and thus be kept moist, for it will be noted that as soon as the level of the water in the compartment 4 reaches the passage between the same and the chamber air will pass through said passage and to the upper end of the chamber and permit an additional supply of water to enter the compartment from the chamber. In this way a small but su fficient supply of water is kept in the bottom of the compartment so long as there is water in the reservoir and which serves to keep the sponge at all times moist.

In Fig. 3 is shown a modification in which there are two sponge-compartments 4, and in this construction it would be desirable to make the cup elliptical. Other modifications can of course be made in the details of the device without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I therefore do not wish it to be understood that I limit myself to the specific construction herein shown, as I contemplate making any and all changes serving to increase the practicability of the device as may come within the scope of the appended claims.

It will be seen from the foregoing description that the reservoir of the sponge-cup will hold a large supply of water that will be gradually supplied to the sponge-compartment 4 in such quantities as to keep the sponge moist for the purposes for which it is to be used and, further, that the parts are separable and can be taken apart and cleaned, and in this connection it will be noted that the shape of the reservoir member is such that it presents regular and unobstructed faces that can be readily cleaned of all sediment and inky matter that accumulates through the sponge upon which pens are cleaned.

In order that a tight joint may be formed between the two members forming the spongecup to prevent the escape of water between two members, I propose to provide a packing g, as shown in Fig. 4, interposed between the outer surface of the inner member and the inner surface of the outer member. This packing is preferably in the form of one or more packing-rings, which are.seated in grooves formed on the outer surface of the inner member.

hen the spon ge-cu p is employed for moistening the fingers, it may be that an excessive pressure upon the upper or projecting portion of the sponge will cause the water to be squeezed therefrom in such quantities that it does not readily flow back into the compartment 4, and to obviate an objection from this source the upper end of the compartment is enlarged, as shown at 7, to receive the water and prevent it from running over the top of the member B.

I am aware that fountain sponge-cups have been patented embracing two separable members, one of which is a sponge-cup and the other a reservoir, in Letters Patent to Doyle, No. 229,680, dated July 6, 1880; but it will be noted that in this sponge-cup the reservoir cannot be readily cleaned, and it is found after use that the reservoir or globe becomes black inside from the ink wiped upon the sponge and therefore presents an ugly appearance. This of course is obviated in this invention, as the chamber 1 can be easily cleaned.

I am aware that it has been proposed to construct a fountain spongecup with a sponge -chamber surrounded by an outer chamber, said chambers communicating at their lower ends, but in which the entire device is cast in one piece, and also that it has been proposed to make the fount and sponge chambers in separable pieces, the outer chamber, however, having an outlet consisting of a contracted neck that enters a socket in one side of the sponge chamber. In both of these structures the ink deposited upon the sponge is liable to find its way into the outer chamber and deposit on the walls thereof. Owing to the fact that the former structure is in one piece and the latter has a contracted outlet this deposit cannot be readily removed and mars the appearance of the de vice. In my invention, however, the outer chamber being separable and open at its lower end can be readily cleaned, as must be obvious.

I claim as my invention- 1. A sponge-cup com prising separable outer and inner members that fit one within the other, the outer member being a cup or receptacle open at its upper end, and the inner member being provided with an inner chamber open at its upper end and an outer chamber closed at its upper end and open at its lower end, said outer and inner chambers of the inner member communicating at their lower end portions, when the members are.

assembled in operative relation.

2. A sponge-cup comprising two separable membersA and B, the member A forming a cup or receptacle, and member B being provided with an annular chamber 1 open at its lower end and an inner sponge-compartment 4 open at its upper end and inclosed by said chamber 1, and communicatingtherewith.

3. A sponge-cup comprising two separable members A and B, the member B being provided with a sponge-compartment 4 open at its upper end and a surrounding annular chamber 1 open at its lower end and commu nicating with said compartment 4, the said compartment and annular chamber being formed by two walls joined together at their upper edges.

4. A sponge-cup comprising two separable members A and B, the member A forming a cup, and the member B being provided with a sponge-compartment 4 open at its upper end and an annular surrounding chamber 1 communicating therewith, said compartment and chamber being formed by an outer and inner wall joined together at their upper edges, with the inner wall shorter than the outer wall.

5. A sponge-cup comprising two separable members A and B, the member A forming a cup or receptacle, and the member B being provided with an inner wall 2 and an outer wall 3 joined at their upper edges and seated within said member A, the said walls 2 and 3 forming an outer chamber 1 and an inner compartment 4 communicating with each other at their lower ends.

6. The combination with an outer cup-like member A, of an inner member B being provided with an annular chamber or reservoir, and a sponge-chamber surrounded thereby and communicating therewith, and a packing inserted between the cup-like member and and communicating therewith, said compartthe inner member; whereby the passage of ment having an enlarged upper end portion; the water from the reservoir between the whereby the water is prevented from overchambers by a sudden pressure on the sponge flowing the sponge-compartment in case of 15 5 is prevented. excessive pressure on the sponge.

7. A sponge-cup comprising two members In testimony whereof I afifix my signature A and B, the member A forming a cup or rein presence of two witnesses.

oeptacle, and the member B being provided HARRY COBB KENNEDY. with an outer annular water-chamber 1 open Witnesses: 10 at its lower end, and an inner sponge-com- M. G. LUKENs,

partment 4ine1osed by said Water-chamber E. LANE. 

